Storybook Heroes
by Hesta's Journal
Summary: A collection of stand-alone oneshots about various different characters over various different eras with various different genres.
1. Lysander Scamander

**Small Introduction:**

**This is just a collection of 49 oneshots about various different characters over various different eras and with various different themes, written for owluvr's Character Diversity Bootcamp Challenge. To make life easier for everybody, I'm doing all the prompts in the challenge in order... so welcome to prompt no.2 Façade! (Prompt No. 1 Forgotten is separate to this, for some strange reason that even I don't know).**

**Enjoy!**

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**Title: _Nail Varnish_**

**Author:_ Hesta's Journal_**

**Word Count: _2018_**

**Type of Story:_ Oneshot_**

**Prompt: _Façade_**

**Rating: _T_**

**Character: _Lysander Scamander_**

**Summary: _Lysander discovers that he'll do anything for Lily._**

**Author's Note: _Ugh! I HATE this oneshot! HATE HATE HATE!... ahem... yeah... basically, this is the longest I've ever worked on a oneshot, and I know that they say one should only post something if you've written it at your best or whatnot, but unfortunately this is also part of the Bootcamp Challenge by the lovely owluvr (Character Diversity Bootcamp). I just completely and utterly ran out of ideas and then, for some strange reason, I got a sort of glimmer and snatched it desperately. I'm not the best at working for a long time on things, so the fact that I've been working approximately three weeks on this prompt says a lot (although I know a lot of people who spend three weeks on average writing a oneshot)... anyway, let's just say I'm terribly glad I've got this out of the way and can move onto the next prompt :). _**  
_**That said, I hope you'll enjoy it...**_

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own HP or the universe associated with it.**

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And when he saw her at Christmas fifth-year, he thought she couldn't get any prettier. Red curls falling softly over her face, eyes glittering, cheeks flushed. A smile lingering on her lips as she danced around the room.

He could hear Rose scolding little Lucy for stealing gingerbread from the kitchen counter, hear Fred and James plotting ways to annoy Albus and Albus's new girlfriend Eliza, hear Roxanne singing under her breath as she decorated a freshly-made batch of muffins. The house was filled with the usual chaos that he associated with a Weasley-Potter Christmas. Yet somehow Lysander couldn't tear his eyes away from Lily.

Her movements weren't graceful and she occasionally knocked into the table or a sofa as she danced around, yet she didn't seem to care. The usual trilling of Celestina Warbeck played softly on the radio, much to Fleur's obvious irritation. Lily's dance was at odds with the slow music - she moved vigorously, energetically, adding in strange twirls and clumsy-looking bows to various people she passed.

Lysander had to conclude he hadn't really seen anything quite like it. Most other girls he knew would have been embarrassed to dance around a room filled with people - not just family members but also less well-known friends of family members. Not only did Lily manage to not be embarrassed by it, but she seemed to also be enjoying herself immensely.

"Lily! Get your arse out of the way! You're blocking my view of Victoire," Teddy said comfortably from his seat on a squashy armchair, causing Victoire to flush with a mixture of pleasure and embarrassment.

"Sorry, lovebird," Lily responded cheekily, sticking her tongue out at him. His words seemed to have brought her out of the strangely trance-like mood she'd been in whilst dancing, and she plopped down inelegantly next to Lysander. "Hey, spacey."

"Hi," why couldn't he say something else? He'd never had a problem talking to her before, even though he'd always had just the teensiest crush on her.

Lysander found himself trying not to stare at her. How had he never noticed before how refreshing being around her was? She was a breath of fresh air, blowing away one's façade and replacing it with sincerity... Lysander bit his lip at his thoughts. He wondered if Lorcan had slipped some alcoholic substance into his drink at dinner - Lysander was pretty sure he wasn't normally this dreamy and nonsensical.

"You alright there?" Lily waved her hand in front of him, bright green nail-varnish blurring as she moved her hand rapidly up and down.

Lysander blinked. "Um... yeah."

Possible conversation starters floated through his head: You look beautiful today, Lily/ I love your eyes/ Do you think your brothers would kill me if I tried to kiss you?

He fished around for something that sounded less... well... pathetic. "I like your nails."

Well, that went well.

Lily stared at him as though he had morphed into a giant wolf. Then she giggled. "If you want, I could paint your nails."

Although it was they both knew that she wasn't serious, for some crazy, insane reason, Lysander found himself nodding. "Sure."

Another stare, another giggle. Then she rose from the sofa and held her hand out to pull him up. "Well then, it's in my room. So... you want to come up?"

Lysander took her hand and then followed her through the crowded room and into the considerably quieter hallway. Lily skipped her way up the stairs - he wasn't sure how she managed that - before reaching the landing and walking along until she reached her bedroom door. She leaned against it and waited patiently.

"So... what colour do you want?" Lily said, looking critically at him once he had reached her. She turned the doorknob and pushed the door open forcefully. He was immediately assailed with the scent of nail varnish and cinnamon - the two didn't mix well together. Lily was already bouncing over to her desk and pulling the desk's drawer out.

"So... we have... dark green, light green, sparkly green, bright green... baby pink, candy pink, fuchsia... silver and glittery silver...," Lily listed, beckoning him over to her. Lysander could only gawk at the crammed drawer. How on earth was he supposed to choose? Was there any way he could get out of this? If he went out of this room wearing any of the colours, Lorcan would never let him live it down. Neither would Fred or James or Albus or Louis or Dominique or Rose or... well, anybody.

"... magenta, burgundy, crimson... Lysander, you're looking a bit confused there," Lily trailed off with an amused glint in her eyes. "Have you decided yet?"

Then again, if he let her paint his nails he would have... well... however many minutes it took to paint his nails alone with her. Although he had never particularly endeavoured to have time alone with her before, Lysander found that, tonight, the idea filled him with some strange kind of delight. Grabbing onto the feeling, he cast his eyes across the bottles of colour. Well... that one looked as nice as any other. He pointed at the colour he'd chosen. "Is that one alright?"

She shot him a funny look. "Yeah, it's fine. You sure you want that, though?"

"Um, yes, please."

Lily shrugged and fished the bottle out of the drawer before pushing the drawer shut. She gestured at the chair next to her desk. "Here, sit down. Make yourself comfortable."

Lysander did as he was told, watching as she picked up a chair at the other end of the room and lugged it over to the desk. Once satisfied with the arrangements, she settled herself on the chair and picked Lysander's left hand up, placing it carefully on the desk. She unscrewed the bottle's lid and carefully began to paint the colour onto his thumb.

It was only then that he realised why she'd given him a funny look: he'd chosen the same colour that she was wearing on her own nails. He sighed inwardly. Tonight evidently wasn't his night, but he couldn't stop her now. Not after he'd insisted on this colour.

Lily finished with his thumbnail and moved onto his index finger. "Why the sudden need to paint your nails?"

"I... I guess I wanted to see James's face," Lysander lied quickly. He felt his face heat up slightly as she narrowed her eyes at him. "And Lorcan hates this kind of stuff so I suppose I thought it'd be fun to... yeah..."

She laughed slightly as he trailed off into silence. "If you say so, mister. How're you enjoying the holidays so far? Anything interesting happen?"

Yeah, I realised that I like you, he thought to himself before attempting a disarming smile. "Not really. Dad wrote an article to some magazine about how he and Mum have found proof that the Crumple-Horned Snorkack exists."

"What did they say?" Lily turned his hand so that she could apply the nail varnish more easily. A small smile was forming on her face.

"They rejected the article, telling him that it didn't have enough proof for their standards," Lysander said flatly, although he could feel his lips twitching. He was remembering how his Dad had taken a glance at the rejection letter and then shrugged and continued eating his cereal, unfazed at what had to be close to his hundredth article rejection letter. Despite being the descendent of Newt Scamander, Rolf had very little credibility amongst most naturalists and it was his wife Luna who was the one that people turned to for common sense.

Lily didn't say anything for a while, instead focusing on the remaining fingernails of his left hand. Once she'd finished, she gently picked up his right hand and began work on it. "Did you hear that Fred wants to be a naturalist? Apparently Uncle George wants him to work in the joke shop but Fred thinks that, by the time he's finished Hogwarts, he'll have had enough pranks to last him for life."

"Don't blame him - working in that shop sounds like a nightmare," Lysander recalled the many times he'd been in there and seen a harried assistant running around and trying to keep up with demands whilst also preventing people 'testing' out some of the love potions and Skiving Snackboxes.

"I'd like to work there," Lily smiled slightly as she dipped the small brush back into the bottle. "I know it's a lot of work, but there's always someone laughing or smiling there. I'd like to work in a place that makes people happy, and Uncle George's shop does that better than any other shop I've seen."

"I thought you wanted to be a Healer?" he remembered her declaring, back in his second-year, that she was going to work in the Hospital Wing when she was older so that she could watch over the next generation at Hogwarts.

"Your marks have to be really high for that - mine aren't."

"Oh."

Lysander resisted the urge to squirm uncomfortably. He couldn't read her expression. Normally Lily was as easy to read as a child, but she had constructed a calm façade the instant he had brought up the subject of her being a Healer. She finished painting his nails in silence, screwing the lid of the nail varnish bottle tightly before stowing it away with all the other bottles.

"You can run your hands under cold water in my bathroom," she gestured to the small white-tiled room connected to her own. "It makes the varnish dry faster. Just make sure you don't dry your hands on any of the towels there - I did that once after running my hands under the water and left pink marks on the towel and had to get Mum to use Scourgify."

Lysander shrugged and pottered over to the bathroom, waving his hands around in an attempt to dry the nail varnish - he had seen Rose do that several times after painting her nails. He twisted the silver tap, let the cold water trickle over his fingers briefly, twisted the tap again and then re-entered Lily's bedroom to find her looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"What?"

"You looked ridiculous, walking around and waving your hands," Lily snorted, getting up from her seat and going over to the door. "Come on, let's go show off your pretty new nails to the rest of the family."

He gulped and followed her down, patting his wet hands against his trousers, being careful not to let the newly-painted nails to touch his jeans. He was pretty sure now that Lorcan had snuck something into his drink - there was no plausible reason for him to let her paint his nails and then get nervous about people seeing him with painted nails (considering it was his own fault).

Lily paused at the entrance to the crowded sitting room, shooting him a dazzling smile. "Stop dawdling, Lysander. You're acting as though it's the end of the world."

Naturally, when Lysander did summon the courage to enter the room, James instantly spotted the nail varnish. The messy-haired boy leapt over a sofa standing in his way and picked Lysander's hands up to examine them. "Man, I can't believe this! And they're the same colour as Lily's! Oi! Fred! Look at what Andy's gone and let my little sister do!"

In a flash, Fred was next to James, admiring the nails. "You know, if you'd told us that you liked nail varnish, then I'd have got you that for Christmas instead of the Quidditch book."

Lysander searched for Lily, wondering why she had left him to his fate. His eyes landed on her standing in front of the Christmas tree. She was talking to Rose, but her eyes flickered over to him. He sent her a pleading look, Please let me get out of here.

He was rewarded by her sticking her tongue out at him as if to say Your own fault.

And he decided that she had somehow managed to become even prettier.


	2. Daphne Greengrass

**Title: _Really, I Am_**

**Author: _Hesta's Journal_**

**Word Count: _1437_**

**Type of Story: _Oneshot (I really don't know why I bother to put this anymore...)_**

**Prompt: _Book_**

**Rating: _T_**

**Character: _Daphne Greengrass_**

**Summary: _Daphne learns that sometimes her sister can be right._**

**A/N: _Very little to say about this one except that, in contrast to last chapter, I loved writing this one and I still kind of love it. Probably the only fic of mine that I can really and truly say that I love - I can really relate to this one :). Hopefully you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it :)._**

**Disclaimer: I-hay o-day ot-nay own-hay Arry-hay Otter-pay (ut-bay I-hay o-day eak-spay ig-pay atin-lay).**

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She turned the page of the book deftly, rocking back and forth in her chair. It wasn't often that Daphne took time to read a book - she thought that it made her seem like some kind of old granny - but with the rain pouring down today there wasn't really much else to do. Unless she knitted or something, which would have been even more grandmotherly than reading.

There was a loud, vigorous knock at her bedroom door and Daphne looked up from her book with a sense of relief. Please let it be something interesting. Please.

"Come in?" Daphne's voice was calm, authoritative.

Astoria's head poked around the door, eyes glowing with a radiant happiness. "Daph? Are you busy?"

Gladly, Daphne snapped the book shut and placed it on the table next to her. She raised her reading glasses so that they rested on top of her head. "Nope, sit down. You want something?"

Astoria sat down on Daphne's bed, leaning backwards until she was lying down, arms and legs spread out in a carelessly happy manner. "Daphne, I think I'm in love."

Daphne leaned forwards interestedly, although her voice held a trace of scepticism. "In love? Really, Astoria? Again? You're only nineteen."

"People can be in love at nineteen," Astoria murmured, not retaliating with a sharp comment like she normally would have done. Instead she absentmindedly traced circles on Daphne's pillow, humming. "I really am, Daphne. Really."

"Alright then, who with?" Daphne winced as thunder cracked outside - she hated thunderstorms.

Astoria paused, biting her lip. "Don't kill me Daphne."

Oh dear, Daphne frowned at her sister. She didn't really want to know who Astoria had fallen for this time. Astoria had the habit of falling in love with the most impractical people - last time it had been Charlie Weasley, who not only was around a decade older than Astoria, but also completely incompatible personality-wise. None of this had really stopped Astoria, though.

Astoria studied the pillowcase intently. "It's Draco."

"Malfoy?"

"No, Daphne. It's Draco Longbottom," Astoria rolled her eyes. "Of course it's Draco Malfoy."

"Astoria, I don't mind you being friends with him but it's a very bad move to fall in love with him," Daphne said sensibly, peering at her sister in concern. Sometimes she felt as though she were Astoria's mother rather than her sister, what with all the times she'd had to warn Astoria off making hasty decisions and doing crazy things.

Astoria pouted. "I can't believe you think I fell in love with him on purpose. And I know it's a bad move in your opinion, Daphne... but in my opinion love is never a bad move. And there has to be a reason that I fell in love with him, right?"

"You're such a romantic, 'Tori," Daphne sighed, but the disapproval in her voice had faded slightly to be replaced with affection. "Anyway, why do you love him more than... say... any of the other people you've gone out with in the past?"

Astoria sat up quickly, eyes wide. Her hands were clutched to her chest as though mortally offended by the question. "Why do I love him? Because he's smart and funny and thoughtful and wise and handsome and gentle and he treats me with respect. And he's just... amazing..."

"Doesn't sound like the Draco Malfoy I went to school with," Daphne said dryly, ever-sceptical of her sister's lovestruck condition. "How long exactly have you known him, Astoria? Properly known him?"

"Six months."

Daphne hesitated, chewing on her fingernail thoughtfully. "Well, I'm not saying that it's wrong or anything, but I want you to just be a bit careful, Astoria. I mean, how many other times have you said that you were in love with somebody? Don't you remember Charlie Weasley? Adrian Pucey? Michael Corner? Graham Pritchard? Marcus Flint - and I really don't know what you saw in him? Kenneth Towler? Professor Lupin? And don't even get me started on Justin Finch-Fletchley."

"I didn't say I was in love with Professor Lupin," Astoria said defensively. "I just said I liked him. I had a crush on him. That's it."

"Yeah, but you managed to have a relationship with everybody else I just listed, not including Charlie Weasley. And you were the one who broke up with them and not the other way around."

"Kenneth broke up with me," Astoria piped up. "And Marcus and I both decided that the age gap was too much, so it was mutual. Besides, what's your problem with Malfoy and me being together?"

"I never said I had a problem with it, I just said that it wasn't a very sensible thing to do," Daphne protested, even though she could see Astoria's eyes sparkling with merriment. Honestly, her younger sister seemed to live to annoy her in every possible way, whether it be through her choice of boyfriend or her random acts of craziness or just her inability to think straight.

"Well, you know what I think? I think that you should stop being so sceptical and spoilsport-y and just trust me. I'm really in love this time, Daphne. Really. I'd do anything for him, and I love him with all my heart," Astoria said earnestly, gazing into Daphne's eyes until her sister scowled and looked away.

"Fine, but don't complain when I say 'I told you so'," Daphne grouched, picking up her despised book again and sliding her reading glasses back down onto her nose.

"Hmph. I'll be the one saying 'I told you so'," Astoria shot her sister a cheeky smile as she leapt off the bed and disappeared from the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

**xXxXx**

"I told you so."

Astoria was standing in front of the long mirror, hair pinned loosely into an up-do. She spun around slightly, the better to show off her long white wedding gown.

Daphne stood behind her sister, pinning a pale white flower to her maid of honour dress, her face frowning slightly. "Merlin, you don't need to rub it in so much, 'Tori."

"You'd be rubbing it in if you'd been right, so I don't see why I can't," Astoria retorted, leaning forward to examine her face more clearly. She gaped in horror as she saw a previously undiscovered spot on her chin and instantly snatched her wand from the nearby table. Waving it expertly at the spot, she Vanished it. "Aha, that's better."

"I don't know how Draco's going to put up with you," Daphne sighed as she tucked a curl behind her ear and examined herself in the mirror. The white flower didn't exactly go with the pale gold dress that Astoria had insisted all her bridesmaids wear, but then again Astoria had never had the knack of choosing things that suited each other to go together.

"He loves me," Astoria said simply, stepping into her plain white heels carefully. "And when you love somebody you accept them for who they are, no matter what they do or how they act."

Daphne closed her eyes briefly, a sudden wave of guilt rushing over her. Although she was pretty sure Astoria had just said that in answer to what Daphne had said, it struck home deeper than either of them had anticipated. "Astoria... shit... I didn't mean that..."

Astoria laughed briefly at the look on Daphne's face, and she held her arms out. "Come here, you silly, sceptical old buffoon."

Daphne stepped forwards and hugged her sister tightly. "I'm so sorry, Astoria... I really am... I know I've been really horrible about this whole marriage to Draco and everything..."

"You're so stupid sometimes, Daph," Astoria murmured into her sister's hair. She pulled away from the hug and held Daphne at arm's length, smiling broadly. "And you're forgiven. Now, do you want to help me get downstairs and watch me walk down the aisle to my controversial fiancé?"

Daphne snorted, but her eyes shone amusedly. "I love you, 'Tori. Even if sometimes it doesn't seem like I do."

Astoria checked her reflection one last time in the mirror, assuring herself that she was a vision of loveliness. Then she walked over to the door and wrapped her hand around the doorknob, opening the door. She paused as Daphne came to stand beside her, her face completely serious for once. "I love you, Daphne - and don't you ever forget it -" she glanced at the clock on her bedroom wall - "Do you reckon I've got time to get a glass of Ogden's Firewhiskey? I need a bit of liquid courage to walk down that aisle with all those people watching."


End file.
